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Draft  | Story | 12/10/2025

PG Draft: Post-Lottery Draft Targets

Tyler Henninger
Tyler Kotila
Photo: Roch Cholowsky (Ross Turteltaub/UCLA Baseball)
On Tuesday night, the MLB Draft Lottery took place, and the draft order has officially been set for July. With draft slots finalized, teams can now begin narrowing in on the prospects most likely to be available when they are on the clock. From polished college players to high-upside preps, several potential targets are already emerging as ideal fits based on past draft philosophy and finalized draft position. Let’s take a look at potential targets for the six teams that were awarded a lottery pick. 

1. Chicago White Sox

Potential Targets: 
 -Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
-Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (Tex.)
-Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (Fla.)



The White Sox took home the top spot at the MLB Draft Lottery, staying true to their spot, with the highest odds to earn the first-overall draft pick amongst lottery-eligible teams this year. This will only be the third time in the entire White Sox franchise history that they will make a first overall pick. The other two instances came when the White Sox selected Danny Goodwin in 1971 and Harold Baines in 1977. While Goodwin did not sign with the White Sox, Baines went on to spend parts of 14 seasons on the southside before being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. They will get to make their third first-overall selection next summer, and while there’s still plenty of time for things to change, it feels that UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is the frontrunner to be the 1:1 name. He’s been deemed the best amateur prospect by many and is the early favorite to be college baseball’s best player. If it is not Cholowsky, it’s likely to be prep standout Grady Emerson, who could wind up being selected by the White Sox. Emerson is one of the most toolsed up prep profiles with sky-high upside. Southpaw Gio Rojas may be sixth on the initial PG Draft Board, but it's not out of the question for the lefty to make a move up the draft board. Time will tell, but it’s hard not to believe the White Sox will not take who they believe is the best talent on the board, putting any positional needs aside.

2. Tampa Bay Rays

Potential Targets: 
-Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (Tex.)
-Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Schools (Fla.)
-Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (Fla.)

The Rays haven't had a pick this high since they selected BJ Upton with the 2nd overall pick in 2002. The organization has leaned toward the prep side with their first round selections in recent years and should be in a good spot to get a quality prep here. A pair of high school shortstops in Grady Emerson out of Texas and Jacob Lombard out of Florida are the two that appear at the top of the board currently. Both are potential high caliber players with tools on both sides of the ball. Emerson may have the better hit tool, while Lombard may have more power long term. If the Rays were to sway away from the position player side, prep left-hander Gio Rojas may be a target. While it is rare for prep arms to go this high, Rojas has the profile that may make a team do it. The fastball can overpower hitters, there is feel for secondaries, and the athleticism is obvious. Obviously picking second the Rays should have a bundle of talented players to pick from with plenty of prep targets that fit their mold. 

3. Minnesota Twins

Potential Targets: 
-Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
-AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia
-Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (Fla.)

The Twins dropped one spot, holding the second-highest chances to land the first overall draft pick in the 2026 MLB Draft Lottery. They will choose third, which will be the highest draft choice since they selected Royce Lewis with the 1st overall draft pick in 2017. The Twins have gone college the last two seasons, but selected Walker Jenkins with the fifth overall pick in 2023. The Twins could land a perennial collegiate performer in Drew Burress, especially if he posts another year of gaudy performance. AJ Gracia could be poised for a big year in his new home in Charlottesville. Gracia could move his way up the board as the spring plays out. If the Twins wanted to focus in on a prep talent that could fit their mold, Jacob Lombard could be a potential target at three. Lombard is arguably neck and neck with Grady Emerson, while Emerson will likely be off the board first, there’s no denying that Lombard has plenty of tools and athleticism. 

4. San Francisco Giants

Potential Targets: 
 -Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
-AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia 
-Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida

The Giants were one of the big winners of the lottery, jumping all the way up to 4th overall. Outside of Bryce Eldridge in 2023, San Francisco has consistently selected a college player with their first overall selection. If they choose to go the same route here, there could be a few high-end options. Drew Burress might not be available at this point, but if he is, the Giants are sure to be interested. The Georgia Tech outfielder has put up monster numbers throughout his collegiate career and could see a quick path to the big leagues. AJ Gracia is another college outfielder that could be a target. The big left-handed hitter has feel for the zone with a high on-base ability and intriguing power potential. While they have not selected a pitcher with their first pick since 2021, Liam Peterson out of Florida will be a potential option. The big righthander has all the tools to be a successful starter at the pro level and could be the first arm off the board. I expect them to go the college route here and they should have a quality pool of players to select from. This will be the highest selection that Giants have had since they took Joey Bart 2nd overall in 2018.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates
Potential Targets: 
 -Derek Curiel, OF, Louisiana State
-Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (Fla.)
-Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (Fla.)

The Pirates have had a Top-10 pick in each of the last four seasons, and two first overall selections in the last six seasons. The Pirates' M.O. the last few years has been heavy on the prep stars, outside of Paul Skenes, which felt like a no-brainer after his season with LSU. It’s not out of the question for the Pirates to take a college standout, and if they do, it could very well be Derek Curiel, the draft-eligible sophomore with plenty of tools and a top-of-the-order type skillset, with some added juice as of late. If the Pirates stick to their narrative of prep talent, it would be a steal for them to walk away with Lombard or Rojas at this spot. Being able to snatch up Lombard at fifth overall should be viewed as an incredible get for them, even after selecting Konnor Griffin in 2024. It’s hard not to think that Rojas could be on the Pirates' radar as well, with plenty of upside on the mound and a unique operation with bat-missing stuff. It’ll be interesting to see how the board progresses, to get a better feel for who the Pirates could be in the market for come draft day.

6. Kansas City Royals
Potential Targets: 
 -Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (Fla.)
-Caden Sorrell, OF, Texas A&M
-Derek Curiel, OF, LSU

The Royals were another winner of the lottery, jumping up 10 spots to 6th overall. This will be their 5th Top-10 selection since 2020 with an iffy success rate so far. While the organization is usually tied to athletic prep players nearly every cycle, the ones that would be worthy of a Top-6 pick may be off the board already by this selection. Prep left-hander Gio Rojas may not be available either, but if he is, the Royals would be jumping for joy. He is the best prep arm in the class and would be a great selection here. Look out for Caden Sorrell out of Texas A&M and Derek Curiel out of LSU as two potential college bats here. Both have been strong performers at the college level and could be a quicker rise to help an already competitive big league roster. With a successful selection, the Royals could use their lottery luck to boost them into World Series contention for years to come. 
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Draft | Prospect Scouting Reports | 2/26/2026

PG Draft: Early Season Underclass Performers
Tyler Henninger
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Dax Whitney (@BeaverBaseball) showed LOUD stuff. FB up to 100, cruised at 95-98. Pair of plus secondaries. CB at 77-79 (2923) with sharp, 12-6 action. Firm SL at 89-91 (2714) with bite. Flashed fading CH at 87-88 (1425). Ranked No. 1 on the ‘27 board @PG_Draft So./‘27 elig. pic.twitter.com/9PNbjJ53Zo — PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) February 13, 2026 RHP Dax Whitney, Oregon State (‘27 elig.) Whitney may not just be the best arm in next year’s class, he may be the best arm in the entire country right now. The right-handed sits 98 mph with the heater and has been up to 100 mph. Both the slider and curveball are plus offerings that he spins extremely well. Whitney will mix in a quality Gavin changeup that sits in the upper-80’s and has also introduced a new cutter. All the pitches come from the exact same release point and jump out of the hand. He...
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College | Rankings | 3/4/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 4

Nick Herfordt
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The 2026 college baseball season is starting to reveal its early storylines, and across the Division II and Division III landscape a few programs have already forced their way into the spotlight. From the blistering start by the Pittsburg State Gorillas baseball that rocketed them to the top of the rankings, to the steadily rising championship ambitions of the Taylor Trojans baseball, the national picture is beginning to take shape. In Division III, heavyweight programs like the Trinity Tigers baseball and the Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks baseball have already traded blows in one of the season’s first statement series, while emerging challengers such as the Keene State Owls baseball are looking to turn early momentum into a breakout year. With many teams still just getting their seasons underway, the rankings remain fluid, but the early results are already giving us clues...
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Juco | Rankings | 3/4/2026

JUCO Top 25: March 4

Troy Sutherland
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Another week down as we get into conference play in parts of the nation. This week is led by Chipola at No. 1 with an impressive 24-1 record. Walters State drops to No. 2 at 16-3 and Florida SouthWestern State College (17-5) follows closely behind. Powerhouse programs  McLennan Community College (11-2) and Johnson County Community College (18-2) round out the top five, while one-loss teams Fresno City, Ohlone, and Cloud County are quickly climbing into the national conversation. With traditional Texas powers, West Coast contenders, and deep Florida Juco rosters all in the mix, the race for Grand Junction is already taking shape.   Rk. Team Record 1 Chipola (FL) 24-1 2 Walters State (TN) 16-3 3 Florida Southwestern (FL) 17-5 4 McLennan (TX) 11-2 5 Johnson County (KS) 18-2 6 Gaston (NC) 20-2 7 Blinn (TX) 12-6 8 Florence-Darlington (SC) 18-5 9 Northwest Florida (FL) 16-8 10...
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High School | Rankings | 3/3/2026

High School Top 50 Update: March 3

Tyler Russo
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As we get rolling deeper into the spring here in the southern states, other states are only a few weeks away from their seasons beginning and some are even starting the day this will be posted. We’ve concluded the first major event on the high school schedule, the PG High School Showdown, and it was an epic weekend in Hoover. The event was littered with talent and these rankings reflect just that. St. John Bosco (CA) holds onto the first spot in this update and are being pushed by an IMG Academy (FL) team that’s 8-0 after winning the High School Showdown as well as beating two preseason top-10 teams in the first few weeks of the season. Orange Lutheran (CA) holds onto the No. 3 spot after a 1-0 start to the year and just a few weeks away from NHSI. A trio of Florida schools follow Olu in South Walton (FL), fresh off a win at the HS Showdown, Venice (FL), a surging team...
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Press Release | Press Release | 3/3/2026

PG & RaceTrac Expand Partnership

Perfect Game Staff
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  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME AND RACETRAC ANNOUNCE EXPANDED PARTNERSHIP   Sanford, Florida (Tuesday, March 3, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced an expanded partnership with RaceTrac, naming the convenience store brand the Official Convenience Store of Perfect Game in Georgia and Florida. The enhanced relationship significantly broadens RaceTrac’s presence across Perfect Game’s premier tournament venues and digital platforms, deepening its engagement with players, families, coaches and fans throughout two of the most active youth baseball markets in the country.   As part of the expanded agreement, RaceTrac will launch a robust...
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College | Story | 3/3/2026

College Players of the Week: March 3

Craig Cozart
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March 3 Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Cider Canon, OF, Duke  The Duke Blue Devils (11-3) went through massive changes in the offseason, with a new coaching staff and heavy roster turnover like is often seen in the college game today.  That hasn’t held them back as they have kind of flown under the radar on their way to a tie for the most wins in the nation.  They won 4 out 5 games last week and Cider Canon was the driving force behind their offensive onslaught.  The 5-11/180 outfielder from San Marino, CA put together an incredible week collecting 9 hits in 14 at-bats, good for a .643 BA, scoring 7 runs, with 3 walks, 4 home runs and driving in a total of 10 runs.  After a successful couple years at Davidson College, Cider made the trip north to Durham and has fit right into the Blue Devil’s high-octane offense.  For the season, he is...
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High School | General | 3/2/2026

HS Showdown Scout Notes: Days 2-3

Vincent Cervino
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High School Showdown Event Page | High School Showdown Preview High School Showdown Scout Notes: Day 1 An extended look at ‘26 3B/RHP Coleman Borthwick (FL)… 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 8 K, 0 BB #PGShowdown @SWseahawks @Florida_PG @PG_Draft https://t.co/IHJFWFbn4T pic.twitter.com/I2izGcEdyA — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) February 28, 2026 Coleman Borthwick (2026, Freeport, Fla.) was excellent over the weekend, securing MVP honors and delivering one of the best starts of the event on the mound. At 6-foot-6, 255-pounds, Borthwick is an ultra-physical prospect and one of the top two-way prospects in the draft. The Auburn signee drew the biggest crowd of MLB scouts in attendance as there were around 50 or 60 so lined up behind home plate on Friday morning. Borthwick was nothing short of dominant, striking out eight hitters and...
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College | Rankings | 3/2/2026

College Top 25: March 2

Vincent Cervino
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Three weeks in and we are beginning to see some separation across the country.  The quality and depth, or lack thereof, are becoming evident and the conference segment for several conferences starts up this weekend.  Midweek games continue to be a tossup and only the teams that are strong on both sides of the ball have been able to maintain momentum.  We have a new No. 1 in this week’s poll as UCLA (9-2) has already accumulated 5-wins against teams that are currently or were previously ranked in the Top 25.  With last weekend’s sweep of No. 17 Tennessee (8-3), Texas A&M (10-1) and No. 4 Mississippi State (11-1) at the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series, the Bruins leap now No. 2 LSU (11-1) and No. 3 Georgia Tech (11-1) to take over the top spot.  The Texas Longhorns (11-0) are up to No. 5 as one of only 3-remaining undefeated teams in the nation,...
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High School | General | 2/27/2026

HS Showdown Scout Notes: Day 1

Tyler Russo
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High School Showdown Event Page | High School Showdown Preview ‘27 1B Frank Thomas (FL) goes liftoff once again for 2nd HR, again in the L on L. Leveraging w/ such easy juice. #PGShowdown @IMGABaseball @Florida_PG https://t.co/BgWiDyMiMo pic.twitter.com/IC6sdAkhmT — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) February 26, 2026 Frank Thomas III (2027, Sarasota, Fl.) was all over a breaking ball in the first inning of an IMG Academy offensive explosion, making it back-to-back-to-back homers to start the game. He did not turn back from there, homering on two more occasions. The ball explodes off the barrel with low effort strength and he showed the ability to manipulate the barrel to lift with authority. Thomas III is built strong and physical and he is just beginning to tap into that huge power upside. He showed no issues handling left on left matchups, with his first two homers coming...
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High School | General | 2/26/2026

PGHS Showdown: Academies Scout Notes

AJ Denny
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Jordan Burwell (‘26 NJ) going WAY out to right. Rhythmic approach and smooth swing get into big time power. #Mountaineers commit. @PGMidAtlantic #PGShowdown pic.twitter.com/qyDaIPxIol — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) February 22, 2026 Jordan Burwell (‘26 NJ) First live look at the left-handed hitting West Virgina commit. The power is real, launched two long homers in game action this weekend. Easy mover with very clean path with sky high offensive ceiling if he continues to show like this. Swing is built for power and lofted pull side impacts.    CJ Alfano (‘26 NY) long PS bomb this morning. Just leaning on everything that’s thrown over the heart. #WVU commit. @PGMidAtlantic #PGShowdown pic.twitter.com/4lGnhOEyrl — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) February 22, 2026 Cj Alfano (‘26 NY)Just an impossible out throughout the weekend....
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